Echinacea plant named &#39;strawberry and cream&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of hybrid  Echinacea  plant named ‘Strawberry and Cream’ that is characterized by its inflorescences with ray florets that are pale yellow-green in color with red bases, its conspicuous multicolored disk florets, and its strong flowering stems, and its strong and vigorous growth habit.

Botanical classification: Echinacea hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘Strawberry and Cream’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofEchinacea of hybrid origin and will be referred to hereafter by itscultivar name ‘Strawberry and Cream’. ‘Strawberry and Cream’ is anherbaceous perennial grown for landscape and container use.

The new invention arose from an ongoing controlled breeding program inZuidwolde, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was todevelop cultivars of Echinacea with unique flower colors and sturdyplant habits with enlarged disk florets.

The Inventor discovered the new cultivar as a chance seedling in July of2017 in a trial field that was planted with seeds collected fromnumerous cultivars and proprietary plants. The parent plants aretherefore unknown.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished under thedirection of the Inventor by tissue culture using meristem tissue inMarch 2018 in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands. Asexual propagation bytissue culture has determined that the characteristics of the newcultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combinationdistinguish ‘Strawberry and Cream’ as unique cultivar of Echinacea.

-   -   1. ‘Strawberry and Cream’ exhibits inflorescences with ray        florets that are pale yellow-green in color with red bases.    -   2. ‘Strawberry and Cream’ exhibits conspicuous multicolored disk        florets.    -   3. ‘Strawberry and Cream’ exhibits a strong and vigorous growth        habit.

‘Strawberry and Cream’ can be most closely compared to the Echinaceacultivars ‘Strawberry Shortcake’ (not patented) and ‘Guava Ice’ (U.S.Plant Pat. No. 23,473). ‘Strawberry Shortcake’ is similar to ‘Strawberryand Cream’ in having inflorescences with bi-colored ray florets.‘Strawberry Shortcake’ differs from ‘Strawberry and Cream’ in having amuch smaller plant height, narrower leaves, and in having inflorescenceswith ray florets that are white in color with red-purple bases. ‘GuavaIce’ is similar to ‘Strawberry and Cream’ in having a strong growthhabit and enlarged disk florets. ‘Guava Ice’ differs from ‘Strawberryand Cream’ in having a much smaller plant height and in havinginflorescences with ray florets that are orange to pinkish orange incolor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new Echinacea. The photographs weretaken of ten-month-old plants of the new cultivar grown outdoors in a17-cm container in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands.

The photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates the overall habit and appearance of‘Strawberry and Cream’ in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the inflorescencesof ‘Strawberry and Cream’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of the foliage of‘Strawberry and Cream’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with thephotographic and printing technology utilized and color values cited inthe detailed botanical description accurately describe the colors of thenew Echinacea.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of ten-month-old plants of thenew cultivar as grown outdoors in 17-cm containers in Zuidwolde, TheNetherlands. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variationsin environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not beentested under all possible environmental conditions. The colordetermination is in accordance with the 2015 Colour Chart of The RoyalHorticultural Society, London, England, except where general color termsof ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming period.—Blooms for 10 weeks from July to late            September, in The Netherlands.        -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial.        -   Plant habit.—Upright.        -   Height and spread.—An average of 70 cm in height and 60 cm            in spread.        -   Hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A Zones 4 to 9.        -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptibility and resistance to            diseases or pests has been observed.        -   Root description.—Fibrous and fine, 158C in color.        -   Propagation.—Tissue culture using meristem tissue.        -   Growth rate.—Moderate to high.        -   Root development.—Rooting occurs in about 10 weeks and a            young rooted plant can be produced in about 3 months.-   Stem description:    -   -   Shape.—Rounded.        -   Stem color.—145B and marbled with 144B.        -   Stem size.—An average of 49.5 cm in length and 7 mm in            diameter.        -   Stem strength.—Very strong.        -   Stem aspect.—Held at an average angle of 15° (0°=vertical).        -   Stem surface.—Moderately covered with very short hairs, an            average of 0.4 mm in length colored white; too small and too            sparsely present to be measured with RHS-CC.        -   Stem number.—Average of 6 main branches (basal).        -   Internode length.—Average of 4.9 cm.        -   Branching.—Main flowering stem grows from base.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Basal leaves and cauline leaves narrow ovate.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf base.—Basal leaves and cauline leaves attenuate.        -   Leaf apex.—Basal leaves and cauline leaves narrow acute.        -   Leaf venation.—Basal and cauline leaves; 144C in color on            upper surface and 145B in color on lower surface.        -   Leaf margins.—Basal leaves and cauline leaves coarsely            un-deeply serrate and moderately undulate.        -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Leaf size.—Basal leaves an average of 28.9 cm in length and            8.1 cm in width, cauline leaves an average of 19.3 cm in            length and 4.8 cm in width.        -   Leaf color.—Basal and cauline leaves: young upper surface;            144A, young lower surface; 144B, mature upper surface; a            color in between 139A and 147A, mature lower surface;            NN137B.        -   Leaf surface.—Basal and cauline leaves; upper surface matte,            rough to touch, both sides moderately covered with very            short strigose hairs an average of 0.3 mm in length and too            fine to measure color, lower surface slightly glossy and            rough to touch, moderately covered with short strigose hairs            an average of 0.3 mm in length and too fine to measure            color.        -   Petioles.—V-shaped, basal leaves an average of 14.3 cm in            length and 3 mm in diameter, cauline leaves an average of 5            cm in length and 3 mm in diameter, color upper surface 143C            towards the proximal end and margined NN137A, color lower            surface 144A and fading towards the proximal end to 186B,            both surfaces smooth and glabrous.-   Flower description:    -   -   Type.—Terminal capitulum consisting of ray florets and disc            florets.        -   Capitulum number.—An average of 3 per stem, 18 per plant.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—A few weeks, ray florets            self-cleaning.        -   Capitulum size.—Matures to about 6 cm in height and 4.3 cm            in diameter, disc diameter is an average of 4.3 cm.        -   Inflorescence aspect.—Held straight on top of peduncles.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Involucral bracts or phyllary.—36 spirally arranged in 2            overlapping rows, average of 7 mm in length and 2.5 mm in            width, cuneate base, acute apex, ovate to narrow ovate in            shape, color upper surface 137A, color lower surface 138A,            upper surface texture; smooth, lower surface moderately            covered with very short hairs an average of 0.3 mm in length            and too fine for color reading.        -   Inflorescence buds.—Flattened globular in shape, immature            ray florets near horizontal, in an average angle of 45° to            horizontal, an average of 2 cm in length and 5 cm in            diameter, color N163B and N163C with immature ray florets            4D, 54C at the base. matte surface texture.        -   Peduncle.—Strong, an average of 12.8 cm in length and 5 mm            in diameter, terminal held straight on top of stem, average            angle of secondary peduncles: 20° (0°=straight upright),            145B in color and marbled with 144B, surface is slightly to            moderately covered with very short strigose hairs an average            of 0.3 mm in length; too small and too sparsely present to            be measured with color chart.        -   Ray florets.—Rotate around disc in 1 row, average of 25            (varying between 18 and 30) per inflorescence, narrow oblong            to oblanceolate in shape, average of 4.0 cm in length and            0.9 cm in width, three-lobed to cleft (deeply emarginated)            apex, cuneate base, entire margin, held at an average angle            of 40° downward from horizontal, color; upper surface when            opening 155A with base 61D, lower surface when opening 155A,            base 62B to 62C, upper surface when fully open 150D and            tinged at the base 56A, fades to a color between 150D and            145D, lower surface when fully open a color in between 150D            and 154D, with base 56B, fading to 150C, surface texture;            upper surface glabrous, matte and carinate, lower surface            glabrous, slightly glossy and carinate.        -   Disk flowers (bisexual).—Numerous, average of 220, arranged            spirally on disc, tubular, lower 62.5% fused, held upright            to outward aspect, apex is acute, entire margin, average of            1.2 cm in length and 4.5 mm in width, upper and lower            surfaces are smooth, glabrous and slightly glossy, color            when opening upper surface; 185D with outer tips 185A, base            146D, color when opening lower surface; 185D with outer tips            185A, base 146D, color when fully opened upper and lower            surface; tip 180D, midsection 144C, base 144B.        -   Disk spines.—Average of 220, acicular in shape, acute apex,            attenuate base, glabrous and glossy surface, color is 53A,            fading to 30A at apex, 144A in mid region and 157D at base.        -   Receptacle.—Deltoid in shape, an average of 1.3 cm in height            and 1.2 cm in diameter, NN155A in color.-   Reproductive organs (present on disk florets only):    -   -   Gynoecium.—Pistil; average 1; 7 mm in length, style; average            6 mm in length and 145D in color, stigma; unequal decurrent            and N186A in color, ovary; 157D in color.        -   Androecium.—Stamens; 5, filaments; 1.5 mm in length and 157D            in color, anthers; linear in shape, average 2.5 mm in            length, 197A in color, pollen is low in quantity and 17B in            color.        -   Fruit/seed.—No seed production has been observed to date.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Echinacea plant named‘Strawberry and Cream’ as herein illustrated and described.